During shows I’m always amazed at some of the comments made by people who visit our booth. One of the oddest comments was made during a recent show in complete earnest by two folks who spent a great deal of time studying a beautifully framed limited edition print “Night Light”. It was reproduced from an original painting that was twice the size as the final print, and because the image was reduced so much in size the pointillism dots are very small.
The two folks who were examining “Night Light†finally asked if the print was a pixelated photograph. After explaining that I was an artist and that these were prints of my pointillism paintings they were astonished. Not because of the feat of painting an entire work with dots, they were astounded at my stupidity and said as much. They then proceeded to patiently describe how I could save myself a lot of time if I just took photos and used the pixelate command in Photoshop to create the “look” of pointillism. There was absolutely no understanding as to why I would want to create a scene different from a photograph and then deliberately choose the labor intense technique of dots.
Thank goodness for collectors and those who understand art and respect the creative effort it takes to make a good painting and who honor the time consuming application of pointillism. With the continuing practice of eliminating art from education, I wonder how art will evolve during the next few decades. Will it become extinct? Will computer generated images replace hand-painted art, and all the skill and practice needed to make good works?
Gail Niebrugge, pointillism painter
So by their logic, why would anyone paint at all? Wouldn’t the invention of the camera have killed painting decades ago?
Hi Joe;
The camera has really changed things a lot. Back when I was a kid all the magazines (covers and pictures inside) and a lot of pictures in the media were done by illustrators. The most famous illustrator being Norman Rockwell. Now, manipulated photos are accepted in a lot of art shows. I may be in a dying industry.
Merry Christmas!
Gail
Gail, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read the “stupidity” comment!
I also agree with you and with Joe’s comments about photography and art, and about manipulated photos being accepted in many art shows.
I’d like to share a story with you from many years ago, when as mature-age students, our class had to submit our en glaze (china painting) folios as displays for examination. One examiner was famous for his disparaging comments and low marking of en glaze painting as an art form, and at this particular examination he made the comment to our teacher that one of the ‘works of art’ was stupid as you would cut your lip on it when you drank from it!
Our teacher curtly retorted to him, “Oh, you are in the habit of drinking from your vases, are you?” She stopped short of asking him if he ate his dinner off his paintings…
Thanks for sharing that story Noella, good reply from the teacher. I’m always too slow on the response in these situations.
Gail